Carpet-stretcher.



No.73 9, 183. PATENTED SEPT. 15, 1903. w. P. KALLBERG.

CARPET STRETGHER. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 19, 1903.

N0 MODEL.

l H J5 6 I 1 l WITNESSES: INVENTOH WWI/@1156)? M A Tram E rs.

' UNITED STATES;

fPatented September 15, 1903.

PATENT QFFIC CARPET-STRETCHER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 739,183, dated September 15, 1903.

I Application filed January 19, 1903. Serial No. 139,595. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM FRITZ KALL- BERG, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Stillwater, in the county of Washington and State of Minnesota, have invented a new and Improved Carpet-Stretcher, of which the followingisafull, clear, and exact description.

The object of this invention is to provide an extremely simple novel device for stretching and, holding carpets at their edges until secured by tacks or other means and avoid the use of sharp projections, such as prongs, ordinarily employed on carpet-stretching devices and that injure the fabric.

The invention consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, as is hereinafterdescribed,and definedin the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the corner of a room, showing a carpet in part and the improvement applied to the carpet for stretching it. Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the floor and wash-board of a room and a side view of the improved carpet-stretcher applied,

. two main portions, respectively designated as a stretcher-frame and a clamping-plate.

The stretcher-frame is formed of one piece, preferably of wire-rod material. The wire rod is of suitable length and thickness for efiective service and at a a is bent to provide two side members 5 and a transverse member 5 The side members 5 are suitably spaced apart from each other by the transverse member 5 and from the substantially rightangular corners a a are disposed essentially parallel with each other. At two opposite points between the corners a and the ends a of the side members 5 offset bends b are formed thereon, affording leg portions 5, that are parallel with each other, their length be ing defined by the ofisets b and ends 0, the "latter being pointed to adapt them for a nonslipping engagement with a room-floor. The side members of the stretcher-frame are similarly bentinto a somewhat-arched f0rm,so that the frame may be supported by and rocked upon the pointed ends 0 of the legs 5 and be raised more or less above the floor, whereon said points may be seated.

A clamping-plate 6 is formed of sheet metal having a proper thickness, is peripherically rectangular, and is afiorded a width somewhat exceeding the length of the transverse frame member 5, so that it may overlap an equal degree at each corner a. Two ears e are projected downward at one end of the clamping-plate 6, respectively at two of the corners thereof, and at a suitable distance from said ears e two similar ears 9 are formed or secured on the lower surface of the clamping-plate 6, near the opposite side edges thereof. The ears e and g are in pairs, perforated laterally, to adapt them to loosely support the clamping-plate in slidable engage ment with the stretcher-frame when the side members of the latter are inserted through the respective pairs of cars at each side edge of the clamping-plate. At the front end of the clamping-plate 6 the transverse edge thereof is curved downward and rearward, forming a concave member 6, that in service serves as a clamp-jaw, this concavity being adjacent to the transverse frame member 5- that is, a complementary convex clamping member adapted to coact with the concave member for the retention of carpet fabric between them, this being efiected by the slidable adjustment of the clamping-plate on the stretcher-frame.

In the use of the implement, a carpet B having been laid upon a floor A in a room the floor area of which is defined by the side walls A A and the said carpet having'been secured on the floor at certain of its edges near adjacent side walls, so that the main portion of the carpet may be drawn toward an opposite side wall A, the improved stretcher device is applied to the carpet for stretching the loose edge thereof toward the side wall, as is indicated in Figs. 1 and 2. It will be seen that the edge portion of the carpet B,

which is to be forced toward the side wall of the room, is inserted between the clamping members 5 6 by raising said edge after the device is seated upon the floor beneath the carpet at aproper distance from the side wall, the edge of the carpet being drawn between said members by its introduction within the concavity of the clamping member 6 and passing it over the transverse rod member 5.

The device is rocked upward when the connection of the carpet is being effected, and the points 0 of the stretcher-frame are inserted into the floor, so as to hold the frame from slipping and afford fulcrums whereon the frame may be rocked. If the carpet has been properly adjusted, it should be nearly taut and only require the downward rocking movement of the stretcher device to stretch it eifectually and project the edge portion of the carpet that has been gripped between the jaws 6 5 toward and near the side wall A when the carpet is in close contact with the floor.

After the carpet has been stretched at a certain point by a downward rocking movement of the improved stretcher device the pull on the carpet serves to hold the stretcher engaged therewith and retain the carpet in taut condition where said stretcher device grips it until the operator secures the carpetand then rocks the frame and clamping-plate upward, which movement will release the stretcher device for reuse along the loose edge of the carpet until the entire carpet has been laid in a taut condition.

It willbe seen that the device does not penetrate the carpet, as it is engaged with the floor beneath the carpet, so that no injury is donevto the fabric, as the gripping of the clamp-jaws does not hurt the material with which they engage.

The improved carpet-stretcher is small, light, compact, extremely simple, cheap to manufacture, and very eifective, as well as convenient in service.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A carpet-stretcher, comprising a metal frame formed with two legs spaced apart at one end by a transverse clamping member, said legs being slightly arched and having pointed free ends, and a clamping-plate held to slide longitudinally on the legs of the frame above said frame, the clamping-plate having a conveXly-curved flange on one transverse edge, disposed parallel with and adapted to approach or recede from the clamping member of the frame by a corresponding movement of the clamping-plate.

2. A carpet-stretcher, comprising a metal frame formed of a wire rod, bent to provide two essentially parallel leg members, a clamping transverse member that spaces the legs apart, and a plate having perforated ears that are loosely engaged by the legs of the frame, whereby the plate is held to slide on the frame, said plate having a concave clamp- 

